PERSPECTIVE: Progressives profess intentions to fight Trump’s attack on DEI

President Donald Trump’s executive orders banishing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and practices from the federal government are disappointing and disheartening. However, they are not surprising. As the great writer Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”& Trump told us he was against DEI long before he was sworn in for a second term in the White House. In January of 2024, Trump said, “We will terminate every diversity, equity and inclusion program across the entire federal government.” He also said he would defund colleges and universities that continued DEI policies.&  So, it is not unexpected that among the slew of executive orders he signed on January 20, his first day in office, were several tearing down and rolling back 1960s-era civil rights measures. He purged DEI from the federal government and the military. His orders abolished more than half a century of government standards on diversity and equality, while he continues to pressure corporations, colleges and government contractors to do the same.  In this April 18, 2020 file photo, U.S. Air Force march to their seats to start the graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 at the U.S. Air...